properly," she said, ext

, though the words came ou

hed softly under her breath, not mocking, just amused enough to make heat creep

any car," she said as she pulled her hand back. "

itted. "Honestly, I was

more, Mr

t in her eyes ca

on't call

, Mr.

pockets. "Makes me feel like my fa

expression at the mention of

" she said qui

my name felt st

to make this transition easier for you. Nobody expects you

ss laugh. "I managed restaurants. The biggest crisis I dealt wi

the most influential biotech

t out loud, it

"Your parents believe

obably intended. I looked away toward th

ked for them?" I asked

d. "They hired me str

that long, so you mus

her face again.

n she straightened slightly, returnin

ew things they

desk and reached inside. I turned away before it became obvious I

up a gold key between two

The metal felt heavie

s or during carefully scheduled dinners squeezed between meetings and flights. They were always m

e a sleek bla

y important contact

n old video camera. The thing looked ancient compared to the technology surrounding us. Scratched casi

r parents wanted only you to see

ice changed the tem

enough to itch beneath my skin, but

definitely watching it instead of doing any ac

lmost reluctantly, then closed it. The strange tensio

way from the desk, "you shou

hing infectious

the

doors, then swung them open.

I just stood

ve desk sat near the far windows overlooking the city skyline. Rain drifted across the glass seventy stories below us,

ugh forests. Wolves with teeth bared in violent snarls. Some looked anci

y, though something about the paintings

ed toward

the company logo," she said after a b

ould feel it instinctively, the same way you sense tension before a storm breaks. I walked slowly

ght outside if you need anything. The o

One of the wolves stared straight at me from across the room. And fo

ts never got you a

ay outside, then back at me, suddenly interested in smoothing an invisible wrinkle from h

hallway?" A quiet laugh escaped me, though I wasn't entirely joking. "My parents believed

rand of blonde hair behind her ear, almost self-consci

ge, considering how effortlessly she carried herself. She looked like someone who belonged in magazin

ty while she worked from a desk outside the door like a gatekeeper. I made a mental no

conversation elsewhere, "

s her face before she slippe

you," she replied. "Confe

d a leather notebook filled with han

rly. Personalities, responsibilities, internal politics, things you

ou think they'll care that I loo

than. If you decided hoodies were mandatory,

rrifying amo

get used

bted

u're meeting today make up your inner board. They'

oke, forcing myself to focus on her words inst

involved with Vale Biodyne longer than almost anyone. Extremely intelligent a

ka

espectful but cautious. "She and your mother were very close. She'

s terr

e i

faintly.

Lucy rolled her eyes slightly as she turned

unds pro

and that he'd become CEO after they died." Her green ey

ates me

n't sa

dn't ha

he faintest s

the Board Secretary and deals with agendas,

. "That's my wel

ger board comes later. The others thought it'd be be

oth

iny pauses. Carefully selected words. Like there were conve

aid finally. "A lot of systems were already in

rlooking the city. "Sounds like

tened. "Ethan, I

n condolences from reporters or la

tly. "Keeps my brain from goi

help howev

k at her. "Yo

ir and scattering reflections across the office walls. She looked almost unreal standing there

he screen. "They're r

Truthfully, I wa

suppliers and scheduling late-night shifts. One wrong sentence in that meeting and they'd know instantly

my shoulders because her expression softened

like

rd about it. Her hand slipped into mine, warm

fine," she

d, another marble hallway stretched ahead toward a set of closed conferen

oom's strai

ey decide whether I'm qualifie

," she said with the faintest smile

ped out into the hallway while

she said lightly. "The

e. "See you

luck,

s slid shut, taki

lway felt much colde